Urea and Nickel Synergistically Enhance the Growth and Quality of Rosa Hybrida cv. ‘Tonight’ in Soilless Culture Condition
摘要
Urea is a nitrogen fertilizer source popular in agriculture due to its low cost, ease of use, and high purity, which can hydrolyze in plants in the presence of nickel (Ni). This study evaluated the effect of nickel and urea (Ur.) application on morpho-physiological and biochemical indices of cut rose flower cv. ‘Tonight’ in soilless culture conditions. A factorial experiment (completely randomized design) with three levels of urea (0, 500, and 1000 µmol. L− 1) and three levels of nickel (0, 2.5, and 5 µmol. L− 1) from the nickel nitrate (Ni(NO3)2) source with three replications. Ur1000Ni5 increased shoot height (30%), fresh weight of flower stem (39%), phenolics content (35%), and increased superoxide dismutase (1.7x), urease (6.2x), glutamine synthetase (1.9x) activities and leaf nickel concentration (3x), compared to the control. The application of Ur1000Ni2.5 increased cut flower yield (40.6%), shoot diameter (27%), leaf ammonium content (30%), and total leaf nitrogen (19.2%), compared to the control. Also, the application of Ur500Ni2.5 increased chlorophyll (18%) and carbohydrate (21%) content compared to the control. High concentrations of nickel led to a decrease in anthocyanin and chlorophyll, an increase in phenolics, and, consequently, a decrease in leaf greenness. The combined application of nickel and urea in soilless culture improved rose cut flowers’ quantitative and qualitative characteristics.